The future of dedicated cameras is 24x36mm and then camera phones and not much else. This is truly where we are headed. A world of camera phones for the masses and dedicated large sensor cameras for photographers and some videographers. Hell, we are almost there today. The overwhelming majority of people have already decided that cell phone cameras are good enough for their family snaps and failbook uploads. Those who want better quality will step up to something that really makes carrying a dedicated camera worthwhile. Will these FF cameras of the future be smaller and lighter than todays DSLR?, Yes many will be. Will they be mirrorless? Some will be for sure like the RX-1 and Lecia M.

Those large sensors will most certainly be 24x36mm and m43 will be a distant memory forgotten in the dustbin of obsolete formats.

SuvoMitra wrote:

In the future, there will only be two kinds of cameras - the ones that come with a portable communication device and the ones dedicated to advanced imaging for the enthusiasts/professionals.

People without a special aesthetic/technical interest in imaging will get everything from the former.

The rest, when they decide to carry a dedicated imaging device, will want something quite different from their phone-camera. They'll want image characteristics that a phone-camera can't give - this will mostly come from big sensors with excellent low light performance and dof control, and the ability to easily focus-track moving subjects. They'll also want a shooting experience they can't get from their phone-camera. I think this will continue to mean an optical viewfinder and pleasurable handling. I don't think size will matter much once large sensors start being sold in reasonably compact, hand-sized bodies and creative use of polycarbonates reduces weight (as in Nikon's recent prime lenses).

The key point is differentiation from camera-phones and this is so often missed in these discussions. Optimality of fit between needs and features doesn't come into it until differentiation is satisfied. If the enthusiast decides to transcend the camera in their phone, they'll want to do it by some margin.

There was a recent comment in one of the threads about the trend of small Asian women carrying large DSLRS (with the implication that they'd be better off with some more compact). When they decide that they want more than the phone-camera, they get a 'real camera'. At the moment, this is a DSLR of some description. Whatever it becomes in the future, it won't be something that's not-too-much-bigger-than-the-phone-but-with-adequately-better-imaging-for-enthusiast-photography. Such cameras will only have appeal for the 'real camera' owners who wish to downsize sometimes, but their phone-camera won't do.